United open negotiations with CL club over cut-price €15m deal for 25-yo star to replace Ten Hag flop – report

Manchester United have began talks with Marcin Bulka over a summer switch to Old Trafford despite interest across Europe in the OGC Nice goalkeeper, according to a report.

The goalkeeping position has been a source of consternation for Ruben Amorim since the Portuguese coach arrived from Sporting CP to replace Erik ten Hag in November.

Neither Andre Onana nor Altay Bayindir have impressed when selected by Ruben Amorim with both senior shot stoppers committing catastrophic errors throughout the season.

However, a new goalkeeper is not considered an urgent priority by club executives with the bulk of the summer budget set to be directed towards the misfiring forward line.

There is a reticent hope at Old Trafford that Onana will be able to regain the form he displayed at the start of the season while Bayindir is expected to be sold.

As such, a new number two is being targeted – a cheaper option in goal to provide competition to Onana, rather than an outright replacement. This has led United to identify Bulka, 25, as one of the names on their shortlist.

The 6’6 Poland international is an imposing goalkeeper with excellent reflexes and is considered a penalty shootout specialist. He has kept eight clean sheets in Ligue 1 this season, helping propel Nice to Champions League qualification.

United previously targeted a Nice player last summer – Jean-Clair Todibo, who went on to join West Ham – but were prevented from completing a deal for the defender due to UEFA’s ruling on multi-club ownership, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe also owning the French side.

However, the Red Devils will not play in Europe next season after the club’s worst season in the Premier League era and, therefore, are free to do business with Nice.

Bulka has twelve months remaining on his contract at the Allianz Riviera, meaning Nice will be forced to consider a cut-price sale this summer or risk losing the Pole for free next year.

AC Milan and Galatasaray are both credited with an interest in the 25-year-old but United look ready to strike first after “open[ing] initial discussions with Marcin Bulka’s entourage about a potential move to Old Trafford,” according to GIVEMESPORT.

“Manchester United have entered talks with Bulka’s representatives in an attempt to discover whether he would be interested in arriving from Nice, according to GMS sources, but they have stopped short of opening club-to-club negotiations even though Italian heavyweights AC Milan and Turkish giants Galatasaray are providing competition for his signature.

“The 25-year-old Poland international is preparing to enter the final 12 months of a contract which allows him to pocket less than £6,000-per-week, leading to the Red Devils and additional suitors sniffing an opportunity to pounce for a cut-price fee when the transfer window reopens on June 16.”

The report suggests a potential price of  “upwards of £13 million” to convince Nice to part ways with their man mountain in goal.

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